Best place for a shaker-style kitchen?

Meepster

If you're thinking about going to one of the sheds, I'd go for a Wickes kitchen. They use an 18mm caracse, which also has a solid pack panel (makes all the difference when you are ramming loads of food in the cupboards) they also use Blum soft-close clip on hinges and Blum drawer runners.

OK, Wickes don't do solid surfaces, but TBQH, the stuff B&Q sells is awful anyhows. Would be much better to go to a local specialist and get Granite/Silestone.

They do tend to be more expensive than B&Q, but there is a good reason for that, they are much better quality, however, they tend to be 1/3 to 1/2 the price of Magnet kitchens.

(Out of interest, Wickes AND Magnet use exactly the same supplier for their carcases - Gower, based in Halifax) and they also buy some of their doors from the same suppliers (PWS, Burbidge etc.) but under their own name.

The only reason Magnet are more expensive is quite simply, you are paying for their name.....

BTW, incase you haven't guessed, I design kitchens for a living...

glendam

Dont know who you work for but over the last couple of days I have had kitchens playing each other off and lyeing about each other. I was looking at howdens and he says they are inferior quality and come flat pack. This I learn its not true and the guy who rang me today says yes but they are just chinese rubbish. Needless to say I will not be useing them for their attitude.
I will be going somewhere else for granite as howdens doesnt supply it if I use them.
Why cant people simply give me the information I need and realise that I will check out their claims good and bad.

Glenda

Doozergirl

Have you thought about bespoke?

There's a company called Pineland in Worcestershire that make the units themselves meaning the price is very reasonable. The quote we had recently was £5900 for a rather big painted shaker kitchen which I thought was a very good price for the workmanship involved. The website isn't exactly state of the art, but I've been to the premises and it is very well run.

http://www.pineland.co.uk/intro.htm

Co-incidentally, my little boys new best friend's parents have the exact kitchen and it looks fab in situ. They're over the moon with it.

I always source worktops and appliances separately from the kitchen units to get the best price. Also arrange your own fitter.

Hoploz

My kitchen is just being completed and is beautiful!

It is part of an extension so our builder is fitting it (about 2k for that, but it is quite big) It's worth asking builders as I think there are fewer big extension jobs at the mo so they need smaller jobs.

He recommended our local timber merchants as they are good quality, good designer in-house etc. They are called Tiger Timber, don't know if they have a branch near you? Ours is Chertsey branch. I have a cream shaker style with black gloss laminate worktop and it looks fantastic! Cost about 5k and is around 4m square.

Builder said he hates fitting Howdens ones. Said they sell it as good that they are pre-assembled, but the flat pack ones are stronger as they are screwed together which makes sense to me. Just takes a bit longer - a day in our case. I got a price from them and in the end they were both around the same price so I went with the one the builder knows best. (Magnet came to measure up but I never heard from them again. )

Steve_Groves

A few people have asked what we got for our money so I've uploaded a couple of pictures to show where we came from and what we ended up with (still had a few bits to do but the major work is there).

www.thegrovesfamily.co.uk/kitchenphotos.aspx

trojanadam

mwilletts wrote: »

If you're thinking about going to one of the sheds, I'd go for a Wickes kitchen. They use an 18mm caracse, which also has a solid pack panel (makes all the difference when you are ramming loads of food in the cupboards) they also use Blum soft-close clip on hinges and Blum drawer runners.

OK, Wickes don't do solid surfaces, but TBQH, the stuff B&Q sells is awful anyhows. Would be much better to go to a local specialist and get Granite/Silestone.

They do tend to be more expensive than B&Q, but there is a good reason for that, they are much better quality, however, they tend to be 1/3 to 1/2 the price of Magnet kitchens.

(Out of interest, Wickes AND Magnet use exactly the same supplier for their carcases - Gower, based in Halifax) and they also buy some of their doors from the same suppliers (PWS, Burbidge etc.) but under their own name.

The only reason Magnet are more expensive is quite simply, you are paying for their name.....

BTW, incase you haven't guessed, I design kitchens for a living...

i cant believe you recommend wickes please read other forums on here Travis Perkins owner of wickes are looking to offload them asap. your guarantee counts for nothing.

and FYI Magnet and Wickes do not use same supplier Magnet manufactures its own units in its Yorkshire factory and do not buy ANY doors from pws or burbidge thats more a Wickes and local independant thing to do.
The reason magnet is more expensive is they are 18mm rigid units with a 15 year guarantee as oppossed to fla pack

Meepster

trojanadam - FYI

Magnet and Wickes DO use the same manufacturer. There is only one kitchen manufacturer in Yorkshire, which is called Gower, based in Halifax. Gower is owned by Nobia, one of the biggest names in kitchens, who, suprisingly also own Magnet. I've been there, I've seen the state of the art machinery they use, I've also seen the several defined areas beyond this, where the items are essembled and packed. There's an area for Wickes and Homebase (who they also manufacture for) an area for Rapide (their own brand) an area for the rigid units they build for the independants and an area for Magnet (both trade and retail) and Interior Solutions.

The reason that Magnet are more expensive is partially due to the fact they are rigid built (as it costs more to put them together) but apart from that they are essentially the same product (18mm MFC carcase, 18mm solid back panel with service gap, Blum soft close clip on hinges, Blumotion Tandembox drawer fittings, fully adjustable legs etc etc.) They only other difference is that Wickes only offer one carcase colour, which is off-white (RAL9001) where as Magnet offer a selection.

Finally, as I think I've proved enough so far, if you have a Wickes kitchen and anything did happen to them (TP off-load them, they go bust, the senior management team get abducted by aliens) the guarantee is INSURANCE backed, not fully accountable by Wickes/TP/whoever takes over in the future.....HOWEVER TP are NOT looking to offload Wickes, infact quite the opposite, only last month they integrated the Training and HR depts of ALL the TP group of companies, so they could be run as a more combined company...

Oh, and I don't work for Wickes anymore if thats what you're thinking...I left ages ago!

trojanadam

mwilletts
really mate learn your facts. Magnet make their own kitchens in a factory in Keighley. Magnet do not manufacture units for anyone else, a divsion of Nobia Uk called Interior Solutions package units and distribute them for Homebase. As far as I am aware Wickes have no connection with Magnet.
You dont even know the product Magnet Kitchens do not come with a 18mm solid back and never have.
And as for saying your money is insurance backed thats all well and good but what if you get half a kitchen like happened to so many MFI customers and have ripped yours out? And as for integrated training departments that says it all to me looks like they are getting ready to get ride of wickes imao.

Meepster

trojanadam wrote: »

Magnet do not manufacture units for anyone else, a divsion of Nobia Uk called Interior Solutions package units and distribute them for Homebase.

Actually, you get your facts straight, Interior Solutions is a division of Magnet, NOT Nobia:

http://www.nobia.com/en/Brands/UK_region/Magnet/

And Magnet don't do an 18mm back? I'm actually amazed, to be honest, I just presumed a "market leader" would offer an industry standard carcase, don't go telling me they are still using a 6mm back?

I honestly expected more, no wonder I always win sales over Magnet....

And a final point...try spell checking your posts

Rant over!

subinagee

you could try http://www.devolkitchens.co.uk. They do an bespoke range but this can be an expensive option. They do however supply Neptune Clasics range, which looks similar to their own - in a shaker-style. the neptune kitchens are still well made, from hardwoods and are pretty cost-effective. I think they might still be doing 20% off fitted and 25% off freestanding at the moment too. Granite/marble is also available for the neptune range ( http://www.neptunekitchens.co.uk )

good luck!